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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2018)
18 Wednesday, June 6, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Teens trade phones for backpacks and river rapids By T. Lee Brown Correspondent Research shows that social media and phone overuse is becoming a problem—espe- cially for kids and teens. Bullying, anxiety, depres- sion, and suicide are among the growing fears of parents and educators. How can teens help themselves feel better? How can adults help? Spending time in nature reduces anxiety and combats depression in people of all ages. One program at Sisters High School takes nature immersion to a whole new level. IEE, or Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition, brings about half of the school’s juniors into the great outdoors regularly, culminat- ing in rigorous backpacking and river rafting trips. Students gain far more than thrills. They learn English, science, math, arts, and physical fitness. By reflecting on their adven- tures afterward, they inte- grate their new knowledge into their lives. They are guided by teachers including Samra Spear, who says, “I am passionate about helping motivate students to choose outdoor activities as a way to develop a healthy sense of self-confidence, inner peace, and sense of place.” The Nugget asked students Cole Blakelock, Abigail Busick, Errin Hongel, and Nancy Montecinos to share their stories and insights. The conversation was edited for length and clarity. What have you gained from IEE? Nancy: Respecting nature has been a big thing. Being outdoors has helped me cap- ture more of what we’re learning, instead of sitting in a classroom all day for eight hours. It’s really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Abigail: IEE has taught me a lot about how to appre- ciate nature more, the beauty of it and how self-healing it is. How it’s pure and fun and stuff. It changes me—I never want to litter or anything like that. I’m more appreciative of all the plants. Cole: The great thing about IEE is it integrates English, science, and of course the environment, all together. So we’ll be out in the middle of nowhere, sketching or writing some- thing, and you get all of these emotions from the place that you are, and that influences what you draw or write. I think that’s a really powerful thing to have in school. Errin: I think IEE really pushes our personal limits. On the outdoor challenge day there’s a lot of running and stuff; a lot of times we tell ourselves, ‘I can’t do this.’ But then IEE’s like, ‘No, you can! You don’t get a choice.’ I think that helps us grow. Has IEE changed your relationship to your digital devices? Errin: On the backpack- ing trip we aren’t allowed to physically bring our phones. I noticed the first day I kept reaching into my pockets to find out the time or who was texting me, but as it got far- ther into the trip, that need fell away. Like once we real- ized we don’t need that to be happy, we can just be out in nature. How long did it take to realize? Errin: It just took a few hours. Wow, that’s quick. How about after the trip? Nancy: For me, it really See CONNECTING on page 22 PHOTO BY SAMRA SPEAR IEE students take to the river for a rafting expedition. Our agents are ready to meet your insurance needs As life changes, so should your policy Call or come in today for a free Farmers Friendly Review 541-588-6245 • 257 S. Pine St., #101 www.farmersagent.com/jrybka AUTO • HOME • LIFE • BUSINESS Kiwanis Club of Sisters Presents the Third Annual POLICE DOG: Fugitive was found near Sisters sewer plant Continued from page 1 Additional Deschutes County Sheriff ’s Office deputies, Black Butte Ranch Police officers and Oregon State Police troopers con- verged on the FivePine cam- pus and contained the area before Redmond Police Officer Josh Powers and his K9 partner Maverick arrived. After about 10 minutes K9 Maverick located Redwing hiding in the tall grass adja- cent to the wastewater holding ponds. Redwing was arrested without further incident. Redwing was transported and lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail. OR TRY OUR NEW 5K RACE THE BASE Half Marathon or 5k Run/Walk Saturday, July 28 at 8 a.m. (5K at 10:30 am) Registration: Sign up online at tinyurl.com/HoodooChallenge2018 For more information contact Matt Kirchoff at 541-647-7586.
